National Mentoring Month at Home Gig

HOME GIG celebrates Over My Shoulder Foundation 5th Year Anniversary and spreads the good word of mentoring.

January is National Mentoring Month in the United States, and at Home Gig we feel that it’s a perfect way to kick off each New Year. Mentoring is a reminder that everyone needs the support of their friends and loved ones to succeed, and that each of us can become a better mentor to the people in our lives.

I have been blessed with some great mentors. They were smart, experienced, and always had my best interests in mind. They taught me many lessons; how to listen, what not to do and they guided me in directions that enabled me to make decisions and recognize opportunity.

After high school and concurrent with my education at The Katherine Gibbs School, I was appointed as the Marketing Administrator for a real estate development company named First City Developments Corp. of Boston (FCDC). It was the late 80’s and FCDC had been successfully marketing luxury high-rise condominiums on Boston’s historic waterfront.  The real estate market was flourishing; all things were luxurious and abundant. Our offices were located on the 37th floor at Harbor Towers and had panoramic views throughout downtown Boston.  The lacquer receptionist desk is where I made my home and like a moth to a flame, I was drawn in, devouring every detail– the people, the condo’s, the business, the possibilities.  I loved my job and the people that I worked for. Every day was an education and a real life experience. The people I worked with were more like a family than co-workers. The synergy throughout the office was fun, educational, kind, and generous.

Hired for my “wise eyes” and given opportunities I might not have had otherwise, I was mentored by the amazing sales team consisting of Dorothy Connolly and Jody Green Lonergan. These two women took me under their wing and demonstrated and shared with me their expertise in the world of luxury brand real estate marketing. They coached and supported me, always pointing me in the right direction and I was eager to learn. They were what I wanted to be – smart, beautiful, confident independent businesswomen.

The next 10 years of my life would shape my world both professionally and personally. I was assisting in million dollar real estate deals, while living among Boston’s most influential personalities, lawyers, celebrities, and business people. Prospects were lavish and I was grateful for every day I arrived to the office.  Eventually sought out by the President of the Development Company for my passion and enthusiasm, Jody and Dorothy continue to encourage and support as I was promoted throughout my career. These women and environment taught me the importance of mentoring.

For this, I’m excited to be a team member at Over My Shoulder Foundation and to be celebrating its 5th year anniversary this year.  The “OVER MY SHOULDER” Foundation is a unique media-based project whose goal is TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPACT OF MENTORING BOTH CROSS-CULTURALLY AND CROSS-GENERATIONALLY.

Home Gig invites you to join the conversation and learn more about OMSF. From time to time, we will be sharing posts and inspirations from our teammates there, hoping that it will encourage more mentors to step up to the plate. Together Home Gig and OMSF are working on some exciting projects in 2015, we hope you will tune in and get involved by being a mentor and sharing your mentoring stories.

Happy New Year!

Be Inspired ~Lauren Giglio